Commuters and passengers alike, mostly those traveling back to their bases after the Christmas and New Year celebration, suffered total traffic lockdown at Onitsha Anambra State, today.
Hundreds of thousands of people travelling from eastern Nigeria are locked down at Onitsha as the Benin-Onitsha is cordoned off; no vehicular passage, due to local government elections in Delta State.
Eye Witnesses at the Onitsha head bridge wondered why Delta State Government decided to barricade the major Federal road connecting East and other Western parts of country at the time most people are traveling.
“This is barbaric; we want to count ours as a civilised country? I have never seen this kind of heartless and careless power drunk government. Everything in this country, the masses bear the brunt. Just because of local government elections, we are subject to untold hardship, it’s unbearable,” a traveler who identified himself as Mr. Anayo Eze told GrassRoots.ng
He went further to advice that the Federal Government should find ways to ameliorate sufferings of the masses in this period.
“Look, we are complaining of hike in transportation fares due to petrol shortage, now this! After managing to get T-fare only to get stranded here. It’s uncalled for!”, Mr. Eze lamented.
Another traveler, Ms. Victoria Amadi, regretted that traffice was man made and could have been avoided if the right decision was made by the Government.
“Our bus got here (Onitsha), all the way from Owerri by 8am. Since then, we have been stranded. Does it mean that those in Government don’t have conscience.
“This could have been averted had it been the Government made the right decision knowing the importance of the this road even at this point in time. They could have allowed security agencies to monitor vehicles passing so there won’t be diversions to any of the cities in Delta State; others who are traveling will have their way to move”.
Irked by the development, a nursing mother, Mrs. Angela Olekanma, said she is confused over the situation.
“We left our home very early this morning; unfortunately we didn’t hear of any Government announcent that the road will be blocked. I wanted to get my family to arrive at our destination on time, but I don’t know when we shall reach Lagos today. My new born baby and others are suffocating due to heat. Government should help us in this country. It is so annoying”, she said.
According to sources, close to the Governmen, Delta State Government led by Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor ordered temporary blockade of the Federal Road to avoid external interferences during the LG elections in the oil rich State.
But some of the commuters argued that it wasn’t enough reason to stop travellers who have nothing whatsoever to do with Delta state, other than just drive through the federal road that leads from Onitsha Bridge to Benin, Abuja, Lagos etc.,
Over 1000 candidates are contesting for available seats at the Delta State LGAs.
Picture credit: Ikechukwu Amechi